Xavier University Athletics
Xavier University
12-9 (4-6BE)
Creighton
11-10 (4-6BE)
Bluejays Late Run Ends Xavier Comeback Effort
01.30.15 | Women's Basketball
Box Score | Box Score 
OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton women’s basketball used a late 19-8 run to defeat the Musketeers, 74-65, on Friday night at D.J. Sokol Arena.
After trailing 38-28 at halftime, the Musketeers (12-9, 4-6 BIG EAST) fought back by going 11-of-16 from the floor to open the second period and regain the lead, 57-55, with 6:22 left in the game. It marked only Xavier’s second lead of the contest and first lead since the 9:05 mark in the first period.
A Jade Owens layup with 5:58 left in regulation regained the lead for the Bluejays (11-10, 4-6 BIG EAST) that they would not relinquish. Xavier kept it as a two-possession contest over the next two minutes until Creighton went 4-of-5 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line down the stretch to seal the victory.
The Musketeers missed their first five shots of the contest as they trailed the Bluejays, 11-2, at the 15:12 mark before a Maddison Blackwell three pointer started a 15-3 run for Xavier. The Musketeers hit six of their seven shots during the span to take their first lead of the night, 17-14, with nine minutes remaining before intermission.
Creighton responded with a run of its own, going 7-of-11 from the floor over the next seven and half minutes to post a 22-5 run and take its largest lead of the game, 36-22. The Musketeers scored six unanswered points to get within eight, 36-28, before a Sydney Lamberty basket with 43 seconds on the clock gave Creighton the 38-28 advantage at the break.
Anniina Äijänen and Blackwell paced XU at the half with six points each. Both players had three rebounds to lead the Musketeers on the glass. Creighton won the battle of the boards in the first period, 22-11, led by Brianna Rollerson’s seven rebounds. She also had 14 points to lead the Bluejays in scoring.
Blackwell finished the game with a season-high 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Jenna Crittendon also scored 14 points, while Briana Glover added eight. Maleeka Kynard had seven points to go along with a team-high six rebounds and four assists.
Rollerson led the Bluejays with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting. She added a game-high 10 rebounds as Creighton held a 35-27 advantage on the glass.
The Musketeers were 9-of-16 from behind the arc and 10-of-18 from the foul line on the night. XU finished the game shooting 47.9 percent from the floor, including a .565 field-goal percentage in the second period.
The Musketeers return to action on Sunday, Feb. 1 at Providence. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.
